dayvid

As many will have noticed I havnt been fishing in several months now and probably not more than 4 times in the last 18 months , but this Bank holiday I made the effort , and was truly rewarded.
Started with a 33lb Mirror then a 14lb Mirror, followed by a 33lb Common then to finish off the Bank holiday a 44lb Common

Spent the Bank holiday weekend at the lake , not a single bite or buzz and did not use Jungle formula or any other mozzie repellant, bliss 
Got back to the car and in the time it took to load the car i ended up with SEVEN mozzie bites , figure that out. 

As many will have noticed I havnt been fishing in several months now and probably not more than 4 times in the last 18 months , but this Bank holiday I made the effort , and was truly rewarded.
Started with a 33lb Mirror then a 14lb Mirror, followed by a 33lb Common then to finish off the Bank holiday a 44lb Common

Spent the Bank holiday weekend at the lake , not a single bite or buzz and did not use Jungle formula or any other mozzie repellant, bliss 
Got back to the car and in the time it took to load the car i ended up with SEVEN mozzie bites , figure that out. 

As many will have noticed I havnt been fishing in several months now and probably not more than 4 times in the last 18 months , but this Bank holiday I made the effort , and was truly rewarded.
Started with a 33lb Mirror then a 14lb Mirror, followed by a 33lb Common then to finish off the Bank holiday a 44lb Common

the annual catfish hunt

Pod ain't level so probably gonna blank 🤣

Trees opposite to me look like a squirrel chasing 2 scotty dogs...

Finally decided to start my river campaign only about 2yrs late! First night last night, one small carp seen cruising along the far reeds, another bigger fish breached and rolled mid channel and I got a few bream and a nice tench from under the bush to the top right of the shot. I spodded 3kg of hemp and 2kg of pellet just upstream and fished a 7 bait stringer over the top with about 50-60 boilies pulted around it. That was the middle rod sorted, the left hand was fished tight to the far reeds in 5ft of water with just a stringer attached. Right rod fished tight to the near margin on a 4ft shelf as a single, with a few broken boilies and a handful of 1mm & 2mm pellets over it. I was worried I’d over done the baiting/spodding on the middle rod, but it was the only one to have any liners or do any bites. Gonna be a challenge this venue, miles upon miles of wild water, an unknown stock of carp (a few come out along this stretch) plus limited and restricted stretches you can night fish stack the odds against me. I can only go to certain places, the carp can go anywhere they like! 🙄

First week back after spawning, new swim another blank, loads of liners as the fish moved accross the huge marginal plateau but the swans make it tricky to fish.
Saturday morning they closed the bottom end of the lake as they were spawning again.

the view from the brolly 

Last weekend, same swim, same baiting - all 3 on the yellow, similar conditions.
Took the baitboat in case I wanted to fish upto the island and find fishable ground with the sonar, but all this showed me was that my normal spots are deffo the one so left them there for the duration of the session no recasts just a bait top up for the 2nd night.
Just a couple crashed all weekend - no feeding activity, got it wrong again lol
Need these fish to spawn and be normal - taking forever with this weather.
Maybe next time

Got down Fri night about 8pm, 3 of the swims down the windard end were taken and I didn't fancy fitting in between.
I thought they might push them out anyway and with cold night temps they might make their way up the other end.
Saturday 11am I see the first of around 15 - 20 shows over the course of an hour, some over the rods so wasn't a complete surprise when the left hander pulled up at 1pm.  A low double common 12.4lb, female still full of eggs (fish are so behind due to the influx of cold water), so I was made up, another swim caught from and a spot found back in March.
Sunday morning, they arrived at 10.30 with one crashing out against the island, then 3 subtle rolls at 11am just short of the rods.  11.15 I'm on the phone and notice the left hangers off and line out the clip but no bleeps whatsoever (no idea), pick up the rod and there's a weight on the other end and weeded up short of the spot, I pull it out and gain 10-20 yards and it's off, hook pull - damn!
Interesting it was the left rod both times especially as the fish arrived from right to left.  It was the only yellow bait - with corn in the mix so I'll take that forward next session, all 3 on yellow.

 
 

2nd night a bust still no fish down the other end so a move today after trying floaters on the small lake for an hour.  Can't get the swim I really want on this new easterly, but this is the nearest one, 2 rods very close to the point, 1k of mix over the top, one close on a single pink. 
New swim to me, had to open it up as noones bothered - hours work before setting up, deserve a fish for that, last night so fingers crossed 🤞

Not a view from the bivvy door, but I just love how natural and neglected this pit is 🥰

Back out, another 3 nights, taken a swim that's unfished so far this year due to high water, on the end of the wind, feels banging, rods out, baiting done - come on Mr carp.

Fab weekend on the syndi - chose the windward end on a easterly and felt confident but by dawn I'd only heard one fish crash through the night deep working the bay on my left.
I sat it out until 9am but couldn't believe they weren't having it elsewhere so I reeled in and drove to the other end (back of the wind) to see if they had popped up on top after eating down there at first light.
After a quick walk about and speaking to the one guy down there it seemed they weren't there so I hurried back vowing to make the most of the spot I had, they just had to be there at some point.
Walking back in the swim late morning I see one straight away passing my rods along the margin going into the bay, then another going the other way, I'd made the right choice afterall.
I shot up a climbing tree to be greeted by many fish - basking in the sun, some of them proper units - right down the end of the bay sitting in a 5 yard gap between overhanging trees.
Over hours I fed mixers into the scum that had gathered up against the reeds and waiting for my chance to wade into the reeds and cast out  my hookbaits but fake mixers and cut down boiles were either being rejected or just missed completely.  At a loss I went back to the bivvy and got my bag of bagels, a size 4 hook and off for another go.
The fish had all but gone by this point but I tried for one in the scum line but quickly lost sight of the bait and that fish drifted away, I felt gutted all those hours feeding and having little casts here and there have lead to nothing.  I was about to get out the water when I see one more fish drift in and under the scum line so I put on some fresh bagel and make a cast a couple of feet from the scum. A head pops back out then moves at speed for the bait, smashes it so I guess he's got it, strike and hang on for dear life as it tries to power away but I can't let it go anywhere, it tore through the right tree line but thankfully I just pulled like a mad man and got it back somehow, was lucky as I could feel it crating on the branches several times, proper heart in mouth stuff.  Epic battle 26.14 Common in the net, made up.
 

 
The next day was a real slog waiting all day for that one chance, somehow after not getting it right several times I finally managed to hook one of the stragglers like the day before but sadly lost it to a hook pull just when I felt that I was getting on top of what had been an epic and scary battle.
Gutting but loved the trip can't wait to get back - I'm having em FACT - so buzzing for it this year.
Best thing of the trip I saw my target fish, must be 4ft long, jet black linear, old as the hills, he's alive and kicking, and he's got some very large friends, more than I knew about. 👀


 

Had a run and got soaked 🙄
 

Sunrise out the bivvy 

A somewhat different view from the bivvy for me been to a 4 day music festival just got back yesterday and I’m off for a 3 day fishing trip tomorrow somewhere in Somerset.  🤔
 
Had a great time with family and friends and drank very sensibly what with them charging £6 a pint  😳 so i took 3 hip flasks filled with dark Rum each afternoon and evening 
 

I make sure she has shade, and can reach the water for a paddle.
I hope that is good news then.
 
Not as bright today, and I've been on the receiving end of a heavy shower or two, one while I was walking Sky the 2miles around the lake.

Chainsaw & chipper. Not what you need 15hrs into a 36hr session 
My rods are the other side of the trees.

Don't need drugs Mate, I hardly even drink.
I seem to pick out shapes in the trees, there is one that looks like Wile E Coyote.